We value home care

Home Care: Low Skilled or Undervalued Essential Work?

This week, the conversation around homecare has once again missed a crucial point: the profound skill and dedication required to provide quality support in your home.

We consider the latter and that homecare is a Profession built on vital skills and compassion. The notion that homecare is a low-skilled job could not be further from the truth. This week's discussions often overlook the complex demands and necessary expertise required to support individuals in their own homes.

At Right at Home Nottingham, we are committed to building a team of skilled professional CareGivers who deliver the highest standard of care and support.

Our commitment to safe home care.

Comprehensive Recruitment and Suitability Checks: We invest time and resources in thorough recruitment processes. This includes in-depth interviews, reference checks (including reaching out to all previous employers in care roles), and assessing candidates for their values, empathy, and suitability for the demands of community homecare work. We also conduct robust "Right to Work" checks and ensure compliance with ethical recruitment guidelines to prevent exploitation of workers.

Example: Implementing multiple interview stages, including scenario based questions to assess problem solving and person-centred approaches, focusing on the needs of the individual you would be supporting.

Extensive Ongoing Training and Development: We absolutely know that social care is not low-skilled and invest heavily in initial and ongoing training. This goes beyond mandatory certifications and includes specialised training in areas like dementia support, medication administration, moving and handling, communication skills, and understanding complex needs. We also invest in continuous professional development to enhance skills and knowledge.

Example: Providing a comprehensive induction program for new carers, followed by workshops on specific care techniques and opportunities for further qualifications.

Fair Compensation and Benefits: We understand the demanding nature of providing essential community homecare and invest in paying our team fairly, exceeding the minimum wage requirements, considering travel time between Client visits to attract the right people. We also offer benefits that include enhanced overtime rates, rewards, holiday pay, pension contributions, and distance mileage allowances for travel between Clients.

Example: Implementing a higher blended pay rate for homecare work that reflects travel time between each visit and supplementary recompense for picking up additional visits in emergencies to support their Clients and team.

Robust Support and Supervision: We recognise the constant dedication of our team, providing regular one to one support and supervision. This includes meetings with our Registered Manager Emma and peer support via ‘Shadow’ visits with experienced Caregivers and team sessions. This works towards a culture where our valued team feel supported in their role.

Example: We schedule regular team meetings for sharing best practices and providing emotional support and have an open-door policy with management for addressing concerns.

Investing in a Person-Centred culture: Our systems and processes prioritise the individual needs and preferences of all our Clients. This includes very detailed care planning, regular reviews involving the service user and their family, and empowering our team to build positive relationships with those they support, backed by our ‘no stranger promise’.

Example: Allocating sufficient time for visits to allow for meaningful interaction and personalised support, rather than task-focused, short visits.

Technology and Innovation: Right at Home continue to invest in technology to improve efficiency, communication, and the quality of care delivered. Our digital care planning tool monitors electronic medication records, and communication to connect our Caregivers with the office and other team members.

Example: Bespoke mobile app for Caregivers to access care plans, record observations, and connect with their team in real-time.

Our older population and vulnerable community deserve dignity, not discounted care.

Any pursuit of cost-cutting will create a dangerous race to the bottom in homecare, attracting unscrupulous agencies that prioritise profit over people. This short sighted approach forces vulnerable care recipients and their dedicated, yet exploited, homecare workers into an untenable position.

By prioritising the lowest bidder above all else, we are actively incentivise unethical practices and the exploitation of overseas workers. This not only compromises the well-being of those who rely on care but also erodes the very dignity they deserve in their later years.

We cannot stand idly by while the quality of care and the lives of both recipients and caregivers are diminished. It's time for a fundamental shift. We must invest significantly in ethical recruitment, comprehensive training, fair compensation, and robust support systems.

Anything less is a moral failing that will ultimately cost our vulnerable population their quality of life and burden our healthcare system with the consequences of inadequate care.

Right at Home Nottingham: Putting You and Your Care First!

We're thrilled to share the amazing results of our recent client and caregiver survey! It's incredibly rewarding to see how much of a positive impact we're making on the lives of those we support.

Here's what stood out:

100% Client Satisfaction: All our clients felt we truly understand their needs and go the extra mile to make a difference.

Highly Trained Team: Every caregiver reported receiving excellent training, ensuring they're well-equipped to provide outstanding rated care.

A Team You Can Trust: 100% of caregivers would recommend Right at Home Nottingham to others!

These results, combined with our outstanding CQC rating, solidify our commitment to providing the best home care.

Bonus! We're also proud to be recognized as a top 20 home care provider in the East Midlands on homecare.co.uk, a trusted platform for home care reviews.

Ready to experience the Right at Home difference? Contact us today to learn more about how we can support you or your family